


Push the Pedal Down

by at1stsoo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Boarding School, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Stripping, Teenage Rebellion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-09-25 06:43:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17116379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/at1stsoo/pseuds/at1stsoo
Summary: Kyungsoo and Jongin sneak out of their all-boys boarding school for a day of mischief… and maybe confessions.





	Push the Pedal Down

**Author's Note:**

> Self-prompt  
> I'd been wanting to write this au for awhile and had fun imagining this Kaisoo pair. Thanks to the mods for organizing a fest for our lovely Kaisoo! <3

The bell rings throughout SM Academy, signalling that any students not in their classrooms for second period are now officially tardy. In dozens of rooms, boys sit prim and proper in their school uniforms, politely greeting their teachers.

 

But not Kyungsoo.

 

He’s been waiting in the first floor bathroom for everyone to get occupied with another boring lecture or set of repetitive worksheets so he can slip out. It’s Friday, and while his absence won’t go unnoticed at this stuffy all-boys boarding school, he’ll have three days before Principal Lee can lay into him about it. This weekend is his.

 

Checking his watch and satisfied the timing is right, Kyungsoo cracks open the bathroom window and climbs out. His tie snags on the latch, constricting around his neck before he frees it and then loosens it around his collar so it hangs down messily on his crisp white dress shirt. His black leather shoes land softly on the manicured grass, and then he’s off, striding away from the building with a half-cocked smile on his face.

 

His older brother promised to leave him the car a block away. Seungsoo knows better than anyone how much he needs this break, from all the rules and restrictions of the institution their parents left them at, entrusting it to raise them into Upstanding Young Men.

 

In reality, it’s an uptight, elitist world of boys that have disdain for anyone Not Like Them. Meaning anyone who is not obsessed with money, bragging about their daddies, and leering at women need not apply to be part of the inner circle.

 

To hell with them. All of them can fuck off as far as Kyungsoo’s concerned. (Except for one.)

 

He’s shrugging out of his navy blazer and breaking into a full run once he spots the car and the boy already sitting inside of it. Freedom is a full tank of gas and Jongin, smiling brighter than the sun, riding shotgun.

 

Kyungsoo hops over the convertible’s driver-side door rather than opening it, mischievous glint in his eye. “Ready to get out of here?”

 

“I’m always ready to go anywhere with you, Soo.”

 

Kyungsoo turns the key and hopes the start of the engine covers the thundering noise of his heart thumping in his chest.

 

Jongin is always a little too free with his adoration.

 

Kyungsoo is always a little too reserved.

 

Maybe that’ll finally change this weekend.

 

\-------

 

Kyungsoo is racing down the street, tires squealing as they go a little too fast around the bends. They’ve got the radio turned all the way up. Amid crooning along with the music and gripping the steering wheel with just one hand, Kyungsoo rips his tie off over his head and unbuttons his dress shirt, tugging it off and leaving all signs of their conservative boarding school behind.

 

Jongin stares openly and can’t deny it: He’s always been fascinated with the bad boy’s reckless streak. From the moment Jongin laid eyes on him in the cafeteria during his first day, he could tell Kyungsoo was different from the others at their school...

 

His tie was neat, slacks were pressed, everything meticulously in order and fit to dress code like all the other students. But Kyungsoo’s dark, unruly brows and wild eyes were all things alluring and dangerous. With one look, Jongin was a goner.

 

Kyungsoo was technically a year older, and in several classes that were a grade above Jongin, so he was surprised to find out they were both in sophomore homeroom together. Jongin was the awkward transfer kid, and everyone else in the room avoided him in favor of their own pre-developed cliques, which is how he found the courage to sit next to Mr. Small-Dark-and-Handsome in the back row of the class. He had felt Kyungsoo’s eyes look him over and conclude he wasn’t a nuisance, but they barely spoke the first week, their interactions limited to a few timid requests for help from Jongin and polite but terse replies from Kyungsoo.

 

Kyungsoo later explained he wasn’t trying to be cold. He just didn’t want to derail Jongin’s chances at having a ‘normal social life.’ 

 

“I’m not interested in being anyone else’s friend, just yours,” Jongin had bluntly admitted. His mouth had a tendency of speaking the truth even when he didn’t want it to. But he was thankful for the genetic glitch in his brain-to-mouth filter because it made Kyungsoo’s ears bloom a beautiful red, even if his face stayed stoic as he shrugged and returned to his worksheet.

 

“Suit yourself, I guess.”

 

From that point on, Kyungsoo walked out of class more slowly, purposefully allowing Jongin to tail behind him, sometimes to the library, other times to remote spaces he seemed to know all too well on the school’s campus to play hooky from required bullshit like ‘professional development’ lectures in the auditorium.

 

Kyungsoo arched a brow the first time he saw Jongin slip out of the gym to follow after him. “You’re gonna get in trouble if they notice you’re not getting the ‘full SM brand’ of brainwashing, you know.”

 

“I know plenty well the ins and outs of how privileged rich boys are supposed to act,” Jongin said, making a disdainful face at the closed gym door. “Been on the receiving end of that my whole life.” Kyungsoo studied him carefully and didn’t push for more, simply mumbling it was a good night to go to the roof and smiling imperceptibly when Jongin’s face lit up at the idea.

 

It took a few weeks of slowly building up a mostly silent companionship and sitting together at lunch in addition to homeroom before Jongin got the courage to ask. “So… why are you in sophomore homeroom but taking all junior level courses?”

 

“Got held back a year,” Kyungsoo said, not looking up from his jajangmyeon.

 

Jongin frowned. “Just in homeroom?”

 

“Yep.”

 

It didn’t make any sense. Kyungsoo was plenty smart, and homeroom didn’t even have real assignments to fail.

 

“...can I ask why?”

 

“Some people needed to be punched, and I was the only one around to do it.” Kyungsoo blew on his noodles nonchalantly. “Unfortunately, the school has a zero tolerance policy for fighting, regardless of how much someone deserves it. So. Here I am.”

 

Jongin still isn’t sure who Kyungsoo hit or why. But he has zero doubts that they were in the wrong, because despite the prickly, rebel-without-a-cause air that Kyungsoo’s projects to ward off most everyone in the school, he’s one of the most considerate and gentle people Jongin’s ever known. Always patient to help him with courses he’s already passed, always willing to share food if Jongin ‘forgets’ to reload his lunch card and can’t buy his own.

 

Which is why, two years later, Jongin was immediately on board when Kyungsoo mentioned ditching school on a Friday morning and driving as far as they could get before having to turn around to be back in time for Monday’s classes.

 

“Any particular place in mind?” he’d asked.

 

“Nope.”

 

“Just us?”

 

Kyungsoo gave him a look that said, _bitch please, like I’d invite anyone else._

 

“Sounds perfect. I’m in.”

 

And that’s how Jongin finds himself shedding his uniform and throwing his bare feet up on the dash of Seungsoo’s convertible while the wind whips through his hair.

 

“Right or left?” Kyungsoo asks, voice half lost in the noise of the wind.

 

“Huh?”

 

Kyungsoo reaches out and pulls Jongin close by the back of the neck, lips brushing against the shell of his ear as he repeats his question, thinking Jongin didn’t hear it. “Right or left?” The silky voice slithers through Jongin’s body, making him tremble with delight.

 

“Uh… r-right?”

 

“Good choice,” Kyungsoo mumbles, lower lip snagging on his tragus as he pulls away. Jongin tries not to dissolve into a pile of pining goo as he settles back down in his seat, staring up at the blue sky with a happy smile on his lips.

 

At the next intersection, Kyungsoo turns right and pushes the pedal down. Thus, their journey toward the coast begins.

\-----------

They drive and drive into the night. “No stopping until we’re about to run out of gas,” Kyungsoo decides rather recklessly. Jongin nods, his gorgeous half smile doing all sorts of things to Kyungsoo’s insides.

 

He agrees too easily. Always too easily. It makes Kyungsoo’s rebellious side want to press boundaries more and more until he finds Jongin’s breaking point where he’ll finally push back and tell Kyungsoo to be sensible. Honestly, Jongin is the best and worst influence on him, because the boy is good, so good, and yet is always up for Kyungsoo’s deviant bullshit. It’s like he keeps daring Kyungsoo to go further, be riskier, act on… impulses…

 

Kyungsoo really needs to get a grip, or one of these days, he’s gonna lose his best friend. Or rather, his _only_ friend.

 

They talk about everything and nothing as they cruise down the quiet highway, occasionally play-fighting over the songlist on Jongin’s phone and slapping each other’s hands away from the skip button.

 

“Ow!” Jongin reacts dramatically to a smack that landed a little more sharply than expected, shaking the sting out of his hand while giggling.

 

“I like this one,” Kyungsoo says, defending the R&B tune playing through the speakers. He lets his eyes flit over and notices Jongin rubbing the back of his hand. He grabs it and pulls it to his mouth, hesitating just a second before planting a quick kiss to Jongin’s knuckles. “There, is it all better now?”

 

He expects Jongin to pull his hand back and complain some more, but the car is silent and Jongin’s hand stays comfortably in his own, fingers actually curling around his now as they settle on the center console. When he looks over, Jongin’s staring at him. Their gazes hold a little too long, before an oncoming car blares a horn and Kyungsoo jolts back to paying attention to the road, swerving the wheel with one hand to avoid it.

 

 _Stay in your lane, Kyungsoo._ It’s like the world is out to remind him. When he goes to withdraw his hand from Jongin’s to put both back on the wheel, though, Jongin grips it more firmly.

 

“It still stings,” he claims quietly. It’s a subtle request, daring Kyungsoo again, to keep holding him, touching him.

 

Kyungsoo thumbs over the back of Jongin’s hand in a slow rhythm matching the song, and starts singing softly along to the tune to avoid any questions about his actions. When the song ends, he lets go, clearing his throat and trying to hide behind his snark. “There, you can pick the next one, you big baby.”

 

Jongin snickers and starts scrolling through his playlist. “I love your voice, Soo,” he compliments, eyes glued to his screen. The phone’s backlight shows Jongin’s face clearly in the dark, his lips pursed in a pleased smile as he scans for another song.

 

 _I love your everything._ Kyungsoo keeps the thought to himself and presses harder on the accelerator, driving faster into the night.

\----

The “low fuel” warning light comes on, and they decide it wouldn’t hurt to get some food either. Kyungsoo pulls over at the next gas station they encounter on the lonely road.

 

“You mind pumping?” Kyungsoo asks him. “I’ll pay inside and get us some junk food to go with it.”

 

“Sure,” Jongin agrees, sliding out of the car and immediately feeling the need to stretch. He walks around to the driver’s side where the gas tank is, and has to pause to keep from running into Kyungsoo.

 

They’re face to face, each shuffling their feet back and forth with no room to do so. “Sorry, parked too close,” Kyungsoo mutters as they try to slide past each other in the narrow space between the car and the gas pump. He eventually places his hands gently on Jongin’s hips to steady him as he shimmies past, their fronts brushing against each other from their chests all the way down to their knees.

 

“N-no problem,” Jongin manages to reply seconds later, when Kyungsoo is already halfway inside the station’s store. It feels like his body’s on fire from all the points of contact, however fleeting they were. Jongin tries to snap out of it, quickly uncapping the gas tank and shoving the nozzle in to fill ‘er up. He’d managed to slip into his skinny jeans in the back seat when they first left town, to rid himself of the obnoxious school uniform, but so much for the freedom of wearing non-school clothes: right now, the jeans feel _very_ constricting.

 

He stretches his legs, shaking them out like he can shake off a boner and cursing when it doesn’t work. All too soon, Kyungsoo is pushing back out the convenience store door, brow furrowed.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“My card. Got declined. I’m guessing the school called my dad and he put a hold on the account.”

 

“Oh…” Jongin feels dread sink in. The likelihood that there’s any money on his debit card is… extremely low. “I could, um, maybe try--”

 

“No, don’t worry about it,” Kyungsoo cuts him off, dropping open the glove compartment. “I got us into this, and I should have… yes. Okay, there’s… oh dammit, Seungsoo!” Kyungsoo pulls out a thin wad of cash from inside the compartment. The loose rubberbands around the paltry amount of bills tell the story. There should’ve been a lot more there.

 

Kyungsoo unfolds the bills to count exactly how much is still there, and a small note flutters out to the ground. He bends down to pick it up.

 

_I took a Brother tax, for helping you out. Also, don’t try to use your card, otherwise Dad will be able to trace your whereabouts. Have fun on your adventure.    ~Seungsoo_

“I will kick his smug little ass,” Kyungsoo fumes. He pinches the bridge of his nose tightly, and Jongin probably shouldn’t be focused on how hot he looks right now, given their predicament, but he feels hypnotized by the allure of Kyungsoo’s thick eyebrows drawing together. There are little dimples that form in the creases above his strong brows, and they’re so damn sexy, Jongin wants to kiss over them and feel how--

 

“Oh crap,” Jongin exclaims, brain rebooting after its fantasy. “I should stop the pump.” He goes to cut off the gasoline seeing as how they’re short on cash, when Kyungsoo reaches out a hand across his chest, effectively stopping him before letting his hand fall, brushing over Jongin’s stomach lightly and leaving a trail of heat in its wake.

 

“No, let the tank fill. My dad’s gonna know where we’re at since I tried to use my card. He might send one of his brainless lackeys to come look for us. We’re gonna need to get far away from here, fast, to keep the weekend alive.”

 

Jongin feels his heart race, ludicrously happy they’re not turning back. “Okay, but… how are we gonna pay? Do we have enough or…?”

 

Thinking, Kyungsoo chews on his tongue for a moment, a habitual quirk that snags Jongin’s full attention every time. His mouth curves up into a half smirk just before he looks at Jongin. “Come inside with me,” he says, tilting his head toward the station store. Confused, Jongin follows.

 

The bell on the door jingles as they push their way through. “Hello,” greets the girl behind the counter in a bored voice. “Welcome to… oh hi again!” Upon seeing Kyungsoo, she lights up with a cheery smile. Jongin thinks he catches her smoothing down her skirt before sliding a lock of hair behind her ear. He tries not to make an annoyed face at her obvious interest.

 

Kyungsoo suddenly laces their fingers together and squeezes his hand. “Hey,” he asks Jongin sweetly, bright doe eyes looking up at him endearingly as he steps closer into his space. _Much_ closer than usual. “Can you pick out a few snacks for us?” He playfully swings their linked hands back and forth a few times before winking at him and turning to go talk to the cashier.

 

What… what on earth was that. Jongin gulps and does as he was told, grabbing a few bags of chips and some Pepero off the shelves nearby. All the while, he watches as Kyungsoo leans one elbow on the counter and chitchats with the girl. He can’t overhear their conversation, but he sees Kyungsoo smiling his most charming smile and the girl flushing as she nods, hanging on every word coming out of his mouth. She’s looking over at Jongin, too, with a smile, which confuses him. She cups her hand over her mouth and whispers something to Kyungsoo, before he pushes off the counter.

 

On his walk back over to Jongin, Kyungsoo grabs a liter of soda and holds it up, showing it to the cashier, and she nods, lips pursed together.

 

“What’s that about?”

 

“She’s letting us go without paying.”

 

“What?? Really?”

 

“Yeah, grab whatever you want.”

 

Jongin pulls a pair of sunglasses off a rack and holds them up, asking with an eyebrow raise if this is really okay. The cashier giggles and nods at him.

 

Well, okay then. Kyungsoo grabs a tote bag and they stuff it with various food and drinks to tide them over for a day.

 

“How did you swing this?” Jongin whispers to him, giddy about stealing without stealing.

 

“Uh,” Kyungsoo hesitates, “I might’ve told her a little white lie about us running away. Together.”

 

Jongin pauses, blinking rapidly and replaying the words back to make sure he heard the insinuation correctly. Kyungsoo interprets his silence as potential disapproval and rushes to further explain.

 

“I noticed earlier when I was trying to pay by credit card that she was reading yaoi fanfic on her phone, okay, so I took a shot stretching the truth a bit and uh, she _might_ be under the impression she’s helping us run away from my controlling father who disapproves. Which isn’t _entirely_ a lie.”

 

Jongin grins widely, watching the pink color spread up the back of Kyungsoo’s neck as he talks. “That’s pretty brilliant, hyung.”

 

“Huh?” Kyungsoo seems surprised at his reaction.

 

“You’re so smart.”

 

He shrugs, squirming under Jongin’s praise. “Anyway, if we’ve got everything, we should--”

 

“Wait.” Jongin grabs him by the forearm and pulls him toward a photobooth he notices in the back corner of the store. Only 1,000 won. They can definitely spare that given how much they’re getting in return here. “Take a picture with me, Soo.”

 

They go inside the booth and flick through the background options on the screen. One has sticker hearts that pop up around their faces and it gives Jongin an even better idea. He gives into the impulse. “It gives us four shots in the print out. Let’s take two for us and two for the girl, as a thank you,” he says with an eyebrow waggle.

 

“What?” Kyungsoo laughs. “You mean like…”

 

“Like boyfriend-y fanfic worthy pics, yes. It’s the least she deserves.” Without giving Kyungsoo time to argue, Jongin taps the Start button and sits back on the bench next to him. “Silly pic for the first one!” he yells. Jongin scrunches up his nose and shows all his teeth, making a ridiculous face, while Kyungsoo crosses his eyes and sticks his tongue out. They were expecting an immediate snap, but the machine is old and the screen takes forever before finally loading up a countdown from 10. The boys both laugh.

 

“I can’t hold this for that long!” Kyungsoo barks out, giving up after several seconds.

 

“You have to!” Jongin chides. The camera flashes, and the preview shows that it caught them in candid motion, Jongin exclaiming and Kyungsoo mid-giggle.

 

They crack up over the still, and then the screen starts the countdown over again for the second shot.

 

“Okay, okay, just a normal pose then,” Jongin says. They sit shoulder to shoulder, leaning into each other and calming their giggles as the numbers tick down to 1. The flash is blinding, and then the preview shows on the screen afterward. Both of their heads are tilted towards each other, and Kyungsoo looks happier than Jongin has ever seen him before, his big grin making him appear years younger than his usual stoic face.

 

“Alright, two for the girl.” Taking a chance, Jongin loops an arm over Kyungsoo’s shoulder while the screen starts the countdown again.

 

“Wait, let’s not leave our faces, just in case,” Kyungsoo sagely suggests. He kneels on the bench to raise himself up, the top half of his face off screen now, only visible from his nose down. Jongin quickly mirrors him, and checks the screen to see only his lips and chin are in the frame. They stare, facing each other and not positive what to do next. The timer continues ticking, though, showing only three seconds left. Kyungsoo quickly wraps his hands around Jongin’s neck and pulls him close so that it looks like they’re about to kiss. Jongin’s hands settle naturally on Kyungsoo’s waist, and they freeze, only millimeters apart.

 

Jongin can’t even breathe, his heartbeat thrumming in his ears, seeing Kyungsoo’s mouth so close to his, plump lips tantalizing. The flash disrupts the moment, and they both let go and turn to see the result.

 

It’s an arty shot of two guys clearly about to make out and Jongin is _jealous_ of the guy in the photo, with his fingers curled possessively into Kyungsoo’s waist and head tipped just right to get a taste of his luscious mouth. God, he was so close.

 

The air in the booth is thick until Kyungsoo cuts the tension by speaking up in a playful tone. “Hmm, is it suggestive enough?” he asks, squinting his eyes and holding out two hands like some kind of art director pretending to critically analyze the photo.

 

Jongin laughs as the preview disappears and the countdown begins again. He summons every ounce of courage in his body. “You wanna up the ante? Show some skin,” he dares Kyungsoo.

 

“What, like chest?”

 

“Naw, give her a peek at your ass. Just the top swell.”

 

“Since when are you so naughty?” Kyungsoo chuckles, eyeing him with a dangerous half grin. “Okay, but you have to show your abs. Here.” He turns Jongin to face the camera and hooks his thumb under the hem of Jongin’s shirt, yanking it up to his pecs and displaying the well-defined abs underneath. Kyungsoo shifts beside him so that his back and rear are toward the camera, and unzips his jeans. “Go on then,” he taunts Jongin, “otherwise it’ll just look like I’m mooning the camera.”

 

Jongin sucks in air as he realizes Kyungsoo wants _him_ to pull the older’s jeans and boxers down a tasteful amount. Time is literally ticking, so Jongin slides his hands over Kyungsoo’s ass, resting them on the well-rounded curves and using his thumbs to peel down his waistbands enough to expose the upper swell and top inch of his crack. He hears Kyungsoo’s breath hitch and looks down to meet his eyes right as the flash goes off.

 

They don’t move, stuck in a moment, the world suspended for them. Jongin’s eyes flicker down to Kyungsoo’s lips and back up. He can’t be the only one feeling that pull, that magnetic energy surging between them. For a second, Kyungsoo seems like he’s leaning in, and Jongin’s eyes are fluttering shut--

 

The door chime rings out in the quiet as other customers flood into the store.

 

“ _Fuck,_ ” Kyungsoo mutters under his breath, and Jongin’s eyes pop back open. Kyungsoo’s hand drops, thumb lightly brushing down the center crease of his abs as he lets the shirt fall back down. “We better scram before the cashier has a shift change or something.”

 

“Oh, right…” Jongin reluctantly pulls his hands back, fingers grazing across the soft skin along the top of Soo’s gorgeous ass as he re-adjusts the pants for him. Kyungsoo zips up and snatches the photo printouts while Jongin grabs their tote full of free stuff.

 

Kyungsoo tears the strip of photos, pocketing the cute top two and showing the others to Jongin.

 

“Oh my God.” Jongin covers his mouth with one hand as he blushes, eyes going comically wide.

 

Kyungsoo giggles at his reaction. “Right? You gotta admit, we look pretty hot.” He grabs Jongin by the hand and pulls them out from behind the photobooth curtain, jogging quickly toward the counter and dropping the photos in front of the cashier with a cheery, “thanks!” as they hightail it out of the store, rushing to get back into their car.

 

“Go, go, go!” Jongin squeals as Kyungsoo tries to get the engine to start up. He looks nervously back at the store, curious about the girl’s reaction but also _way too mortified_ to really look, peeking out between his fingers. “I can’t believe we just did that!”

 

“I’m gonna remind you it was _your_ idea!” Kyungsoo teases, voice pitching higher with nervousness as the car continues to struggle.

 

The engine finally turns over, and they peel out of the parking lot, their laughter mixing with the night air.

\---

Kyungsoo suggests that they skip the next town and head for one more before trying to figure out what to do overnight. Jongin easily goes along with the plan, as always.

 

“Pepero me,” Kyungsoo asks, opening his mouth wide. Jongin dutifully feeds him the Pepero stick so he can keep his hands on the wheel and drive carefully as they maneuver through some traffic.

 

While he chews, Kyungsoo deliberates whether they should get a hotel room (his original plan) or not. Sleeping in the car isn’t particularly appealing, but since Seungsoo, Asshole Hyung of the Year, stole over half the cash he’d set aside, Kyungsoo doesn’t want to end up stranded because they burned through all the money in the first night.

 

Okay, scratch that. Being stranded somewhere with Jongin sounds like a dream. And missing two days should definitely get his father’s attention, maybe even be enough to finally drag the aloof patriarch out of his office chair and into his son’s life for once. But he’d feel pretty guilty about how much trouble he’d get Jongin into with the school if they’re not back on Monday.

 

“Soo?” Jongin’s voice pulls him back to the present. “The light turned green.”

 

“Shit, sorry.” He presses down on the accelerator and keeps them moving.

 

“You’re distracted,” Jongin says, poking him in the cheek with another Pepero. Kyungsoo keeps his eyes on the road and mouths for the chocolate stick, but Jongin pulls it back and moves it about, teasingly making him chase after it.

 

“Give it here, you brat,” Kyungsoo grumbles in fake annoyance, continuing to play along and trying to snatch it from the crazy figure eight patterns it’s doing just out of his reach.

 

Jongin laughs. “Hyung, has anyone ever told you ‘you catch more flies with honey than vinegar?’”

 

They come to a stop at another traffic light. Kyungsoo turns to Jongin, and in his most cloying voice, purrs out, “Jonginnie, sweetheart, please give it to me.”

 

Jongin looks dumbstruck, probably perplexed that he actually went along with it instead of sassing back. Kyungsoo snickers and steals the Pepero out of his hand easily.

 

“Sucker,” Kyungsoo teases, booping Jongin on the nose before the light turns green and he has to turn his attention back to the road.

 

“Only for you, Soo. You know I’d do anything for you?”

 

It sounds so sincere, so pure, and the words linger there in the quiet of the car. The atmosphere turns heavy, so heavy it’s stifling, and Kyungsoo wants to confess a thousand things that have been weighing on his chest for months, hell _years_ , but in the car in the middle of traffic when he can’t even look at Jongin properly is not the time.

 

Panicking, he grabs for the first snarky distraction he can find. “Anything, huh?” He points to an obnoxious neon sign on the side of the road. “How about entering amateur night at the strip club so we can sleep in a hotel room instead of the car tonight?” He makes sure to pair the proposition with a half-smirk so Jongin knows he’s--

 

“Okay.”

 

“What?”

 

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

 

“Jongin, I was just kidding. You don’t need to--”

 

Because Kyungsoo was going to keep driving right on past, Jongin reaches over and yanks the steering wheel hard right, forcing the car to turn wildly into the strip joint’s parking lot, the vehicle practically tipping on two wheels as it makes the precipitous turn.

 

“Dude, what the fuck!” Kyungsoo yelps, letting off the gas and trying to get his bearings. It’s unlike the younger to behave so recklessly. That’s Kyungsoo’s job. He brakes and brings the car to a stop in the parking lot, looking at Jongin, bewildered.

 

The younger’s face is determined. “I said I’ll do it. We need the money, right? And we’re hundreds of miles away from home. It’s not like anyone will recognize me.”

 

Kyungsoo considers this. “True, but--”

 

“Soo, you always pay.”

 

This is a taboo topic that they never discuss. “Yeah, but burning through the guilt money my dad gives me in place of an actual relationship is hardly--”

 

“It’s still yours. And I don’t--” Jongin runs his fingers roughly through his own hair. “Hyung, let me contribute.” Jongin looks so earnest, so resolved. He may attend SM Academy, but he’s far from being born with a silver spoon in his mouth like all the others. Jongin has grit, a tenacity, that Kyungsoo had never seen in any of his fellow classmates. It’s a resiliency born out of genuine struggle. Because his parents are poorer working-class folks, despite his dad originally coming from wealth. There’s more history there than Kyungsoo knows because he’s never been one to pry, but apparently, the money issue is a sticking point tonight, a point of pride for Jongin.

 

“I--” he chews on his bottom lip. “Are you sure?”

 

Jongin nods, then turns to look at the strip club, with gaudy, flashing lights encircling its rooftop. “Do you think I can make enough for a motel?”

 

Kyungsoo scoffs. “Of course. You’d look incredible up on a pole.” The words of encouragement fly out of Kyungsoo’s mouth almost a little too eagerly, but he wouldn’t take them back because Jongin beams at him, cheeks dusted with a light blush.

 

“Okay. You’ll come in with me, right?”

 

“Are you kidding? I’ll be front and center. Wouldn’t miss this show for the world.” With shared grins, the boys get out of the car, and head inside.

\---

The club owner goes over the parameters with him: You get five minutes, one song, and anything goes except no full frontal nudity. Jongin nods, and the owner directs him backstage to pick an outfit to change into and tells him he’s on in 30 minutes. He gets the feeling that Kyungsoo’s not supposed to be back there, but when the bouncer’s head is turned, Jongin summons him over, gripping around Soo’s wrist when he gets close enough and yanking him backstage.

 

“I need help choosing an outfit,” he murmurs in excuse. And he needs the friendly face to help calm his nerves. Yes, Jongin wants to do this, he does, but it doesn’t make it any less nerve-wracking. The two walls of crazy stripper outfits are overwhelming, and Jongin is half tempted to close his eyes and grab something at random rather than go through them carefully.

 

“What on earth…” Kyungsoo fiddles with a puffy pink feathered neckline on a thin sweater. He snickers and pulls it out to gawk at the monstrosity together with Jongin. “Do people have ostrich kinks or something? What the hell is this?”

 

They dissolve into laughter together, going through the room to find the worst costumes first, trying to outdo the other on ‘most ludicrous stripper find.’ By the end of it, Jongin’s cheeks hurt from laughing so hard. More importantly, he feels completely relaxed. The prospect of stripping seems more like a joke now, something outrageously silly they’ll be able to laugh about later. It’s just a stage performance.

 

“What do you think about this one?” he asks Kyungsoo seriously. He holds up a black leather bolero jacket and shorts set that comes with a silver body chain that dangles down the center. The cropped jacket is short enough to expose the lower half of his torso from the get-go, with a single snap in the center for easy opening. The short shorts look fitted with tearaway clasps down the sides. It’s revealing, but at the same time, not insane.

 

Kyungsoo swallows thickly, eyes flitting back and forth between the clothes and Jongin. “That looks good. Would look good on you.”

 

“Ten minutes!” The bouncer calls to him from the other side of the curtain. “Girls on the other side will do makeup if you want it.”

 

“Shit, okay, I better get changed.” Jongin watches as Kyungsoo nods, slowly backing up, eyes still glued to the body chain as it sparkles in the low light of the room.

 

“Yeah, I’ll… I’ll go get a seat up front.”

 

“Okay.” Jongin’s nerves start to return as Kyungsoo retreats, and his friend seems to sense it.

 

“Hey - you’ll be amazing. Just, uh, look at me if you feel nervous. I’ll hype you up, okay?”

 

With a smile, Jongin nods and shoos Kyungsoo out. He gets dressed quickly and pops in shyly next door, where the professionals coo over him and practically trip over themselves to help doll him up. One grabs some hair product and gets to work giving his locks a tousled, post-sex look while the others offer makeup suggestions. Jongin opts for simple body shimmer to highlight his collarbones and dust over the dips in abs, dabbing on lip gloss and letting a girl smudge some kohl eyeliner on to accentuate his eyes.

 

“This jawline, wow. You don’t even need contouring. Oh honey, you’re gonna make a killing,” she says with a wink.

 

Jongin grins, and the next thing he knows, he’s being summoned to the stage.

 

“What name do you want to go by?” the DJ asks.

 

“Uh… Kai?”

 

The DJ nods. “Okay, Kai, go center stage and wait for the curtain to rise.” He jogs off to his station and croons into the mic. “Alright everybody! Amateur night always brings some novel treats, and tonight is no exception. Let’s give a warm welcome to.... Kai!”

 

The curtain goes up to a smattering of applause, and Jongin is blinded by a bright spotlight. He strides forward, eyes searching, and spots Kyungsoo on the front rail, mouth hanging open and hands frozen mid-clap.

 

Jongin smirks, grabs the pole with one hand, and walks a slow, sensual circle around it, to give Kyungsoo the full 360-degree view of him in his outfit, and checks his expression again. Kyungsoo’s signature big eyes are blown wider than ever, but he seems to recover when he notices Jongin is watching him.

 

Kyungsoo lets out a loud wolf whistle, sparking several others from the room along with various hoots and hollers. He beams at Jongin, and they share a mischievous smile as a few patrons start yelling at him to “take it off.”

\---

Holy shit. Holyshitholyshitholyshit. Jongin looks _delectable_ , walking around the stage sensually in his tight leather outfit. He’s already popped the bolero jacket open, showing off the silver choker and body chain dangling down his incredible tan skin, the sparkling chain bouncing against his cut abs before splitting out into a Y shape, attaching to either side of his hips.

 

A girl on the right side of the stage hoots that he should “lose the jacket, baby!” Jongin smiles coyly and slowly shrugs it off one shoulder, to more crowd hollering, and then the other, before letting it slide down his arms to the stage floor.

 

Kyungsoo voice is among the ruckus yelling in appreciation, maybe the loudest one of them all. He finds himself leaning in, anticipating what Jongin will do next.

 

Jongin takes a full swing around the pole, gracefully swirling around it with one leg artfully extended. Damn does he look fluid. He stops, back against the pole, pecs fully on display, and grips the metal bar with one arm above his head, letting himself slide down it to the floor. The stretch of his torso draws attention to his dark, perky nipples and the tension in his sturdy bicep, helping control his slow descent to the floor as his legs bend in a deep plie. There’s extra commotion at the sides of the stage as Jongin rises back up, ass jutting back a little to let the pole slide between his ass cheeks, and--

 

Kyungsoo has never been so hard in his life.

 

Jongin tries another spin, hooking one ankle onto the pole and twirling around it twice this time, letting his momentum take him all the way down to the floor. He notices a patron to the right of the stage extending a hand, waving a bill at Jongin. Not to be outdone, Kyungsoo quickly opens his wallet and holds out 20,000 won, feeling a surge of stress over whether Jongin will chose him or the first guy.

 

Now seated on the floor, Jongin casts a glance around the room and bites his lower lip before - oh fuck - _crawling_ sensually toward Kyungsoo. The body chain dangles off his chest, swaying as Jongin moves on all fours toward him. He even has the audacity to wink as he gets closer. Kyungsoo gulps before forcing himself to get a grip, waving the money playfully and smiling at how bold Jongin is being. He bites the bill, plucking it out of Kyungsoo’s hand with his teeth and then stuffing it into the back of his waistband before hearing several others crowd the rail now, each waving more money at him. He turns and dances his way over by artfully rolling on the floor, collecting a few more bills with one hand and then rising up on his knees to tuck them down the front of his pants, garnering even more hoots from the room.

 

Jongin stands back up and starts swaying to the heavy bass of the hiphop song that’s blaring through the speakers. A few body rolls and then he turns away from the audience, smooth back muscles on full display, hips swiveling in the most mesmerizing fashion. He holds the pole with both hands and peers over his shoulder seductively as he keeps working his body to the beat, throwing his ass back in a wide circle to the timing of the music and earning a roar from the crowd.

 

Fucking hell. Kyungsoo has lusted plenty over him, dreaming naughty thoughts of Jongin while in the privacy of his dorm room bed, hand running speedily over his own cock, but even his dirty mind had never imagined the displays Jongin is giving him right now.

 

Feeling emboldened by the crowd’s cheers, Jongin tears off the leather shorts, leaving him in just a pair of tight black briefs. Money starts raining onto the stage as he heads back to the pole, taking another twirl around it his bare thighs on full display now. He does a little skip jump on his next spin and crosses his legs around the pole, his forearm muscles showing off his strength. After stepping out of the spin, he leans into a backbend, one hand and one knee hooked around the pole with his head dropped back toward the crowd, looking at them upside down and showing off his flexibility. The patrons are suitably impressed and not shy about showing it, both with their hollers and cash, as the music fades out to the DJ asking that they all give him a final round of applause.

 

Jongin pulls himself back upright and smirks at the money now littering the stage. He manages eye contact with Kyungsoo, and the way his face transforms to fondness makes Kyungsoo’s already racing heart absolutely take flight. The sexy ‘Kai’ face drops in an instant, the expression looking much softer and proud. _“Look, hyung! I did it.”_

\---

Jongin gets changed backstage and pays the club owner his cut of the tips, then tries to find Kyungsoo in the crowd. A hand winds its way into his own, and he’s about to protest until he sees it’s his best friend. “Hey,” he says, lightly out of breath from the show.

 

“Let’s get out of here, _Kai_ ,” Kyungsoo teases, tugging him toward the door. With a goofy grin, Jongin happily follows.

 

“I made enough for a hotel room, food, gas to get us back, and plenty left over,” he informs Kyungsoo proudly as they pile back into the car. They grab takeout at the Chinese restaurant next door and drive several more miles, until they can see the coast of the Yellow Sea. It takes a few stops, but they eventually find a cheap hotel with a vacancy.

 

“It’s double occupancy, but it’s a queen bed,” the receptionist informs them.

 

“That’s fine,” Jongin quickly says, counting out the cash for it before there’s anymore opportunity for discussion.

 

“Well, today was quite the day.” Kyungsoo tosses their duffel bag onto the floor and flops onto bed in the room. He smiles up at Jongin, hair falling messily along his forehead. “Beats sitting through calculus and world history, huh?”

 

“Yeah,” Jongin chuckles. “Just don’t tell my parents I pole danced today in lieu of gym class.” He bounces onto the mattress and tosses the cash in his hands up into the air, letting it flutter down over the two of them. He lays back, luxuriating in it and letting his eyes fall closed. “Ahhh, I’ve always wanted to make it rain money.”

 

Kyungsoo snickers, propping himself up on one elbow to take the bills that fell on him and throw them at Jongin’s face instead. “I’ll tell you what. In two years when I get full access to my trust fund, I’ll take out ten million won and let you bathe in it, how about that?”

 

Jongin’s heart latches on to three important words. “In two years? Do you think we’ll still be… together in two years?” He turns to look at Kyungsoo and finds him already staring at him intently.

 

“Yeah. Yeah, I do,” Kyungsoo says softly, reaching to move some of the money out of Jongin’s hair, tentatively finger combing through it afterwards. “If you don’t get sick of me first.”

 

This is it. They’ve been speeding away from their responsibilities all day, running from everything that weighs them down in Seoul, their school’s rules, their parents’ expectations. And now, with the smell of the ocean billowing in through the open window, Jongin feels like they’ve finally escaped that world and there’s a chance to enter a new one.

 

They’ve had moments like this, where the words are on the tip of Jongin’s tongue, but something always derails them. It’s like their hearts are forever racing forward to that one defining second in their relationship, only to have someone else hit the brakes before they get there. Jongin can’t let that happen again. If there ever was a time to tell him, that time is now. No chance of interruptions from teachers or roommates or gas station customers. Now.

 

“Hyung--”

 

“Jongin--”

 

They speak simultaneously, both stopping mid-breath. Kyungsoo stops carding his hand through Jongin’s hair for a second, studying his face. “Me first.”

 

Jongin wants to protest, confession ready to burst forth, but Kyungsoo keeps going.

 

“Jongin, I like you.” He pauses, eyes searching Jongin’s. “I’ve never liked anyone before, in my whole life. And I don’t mean as a friend. I mean it like… like I want to spend my every second with you. I’m constantly thinking about ways to make you smile, because I’m happiest when you’re happy. That’s… this feeling… I’ve never been like this before. Never felt so close to someone, and wanted to be even closer. So when I say I hope we’re still together two years from now, I mean I hope we’re _together_ …” Kyungsoo’s voice trails off, waiting nervously for his reaction.

 

Jongin feels like he’s floating, taking it all in. With a smile, he responds simply, “I love you.”

 

Kyungsoo looks mildly shocked. “W-what?”

 

“I mean I feel the same way, never being able to get enough of you, wanting more of your time, more of your smiles. Most people call that ‘love,’ hyung.” Jongin tentatively reaches out to caress Kyungsoo’s face, tenderly running a fingertip over his eyebrow, down his temple, and along his cheek, reveling in the soft blush that blooms there. “Don’t worry,” he whispers. “You don’t have to say it back. I’ve just been wanting to tell you for awhile.”

 

“No, that’s not-- I love you, too,” Kyungsoo stammers out, eyes wide, like he’s amazed at hearing himself say the words aloud. “I just--” he licks over his lips before explaining. “I thought going from straight from friends to ‘I love you’ might, I don’t know, scare you or something.”

 

Jongin chuckles at him.

 

“YAH.” Kyungsoo pokes him in the shoulder.

 

“I don’t scare easily, Soo.”

 

“Apparently not,” he mumbles. Their eyes meet again and their humorous smiles fade quickly. The air feels thick between them, as the silence in the room becomes almost deafening.

Jongin feels their faces gravitating toward each other, almost in slow motion.

 

Barely a breath away, Kyungsoo asks. “Can I kiss you now?”

 

“You better.”

 

Their lips meet with soft hesitation, the first light brush sending a shudder all the way through Jongin’s body. Kyungsoo’s plush lips are so gentle, so toe-curlingly tender with each press, that Jongin feels his whole being yearn. It’s somehow more effective at turning him on than if the kiss had been fiercely passionate, the soft caresses from Kyungsoo’s mouth ramping up a desire from deep within.

 

When they break apart, they’re both struggling to breathe evenly. There’s no playful banter, no teasing, no words at all. Just a long, shared look that communicates everything.

 

Jongin reaches to turn off the lamp, and in the darkness, they quickly find each other, eagerly falling back into a kiss much deeper and more insistent. Jongin’s hands roam, thumbing along Kyungsoo’s jawline, down the cord of his neck, touching intimate spaces they never before dared to explore. Feeling his reaction, Kyungsoo’s tightening grip on his waist and hot gasps into their kiss, spurs Jongin to keep touching and exploring, learning every sensitive space on his body.

 

It’s a long, sleepless night.

\---

They’re driving back on Sunday afternoon, Jongin at the wheel this time, when Kyungsoo feels his phone buzz. He pulls it from his pocket to check the incoming text.

**Seungsoo**  
_Hope you’re still alive_

 **Kyungsoo**  
_Still alive_  
_And still pissed you stole my money_  
_But… it worked out_

 

He glances over at Jongin in the driver’s seat, smiling and tapping to the rhythm of the rock ballad blaring from the car speakers. His boyfriend has one hand on the wheel and one wound through Kyungsoo’s own as they speed down the highway back to Seoul. Kyungsoo smiles to himself, so in love with the way the wind slices through Jongin’s hair and the sun shines on his golden skin. So in love… so in love.

 

 **Seungsoo**  
_I knew you’d figure it out_  
_So, what’d you do this weekend?_

 **Kyungsoo**  
_Everything I ever dreamed of_

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by the classic Aerosmith MV for "Crazy."
> 
> Thanks for all the love! Talk to me in the comments - I always reply. Follow me on Twitter for daily Kyungsoo/Jongin/Kaisoo spazzing <3
> 
> *EXO's Travel the World variety show gifted us with this lovely visual of [Kaisoo running away from the gas station](https://twitter.com/at1stsoo/status/1087348513405571072)!
> 
> *The super talented Zankai drew [Jongin in his stripper outfit](https://twitter.com/Zankai_88/status/1087446402752438275)!! Check out this fanart, it's AMAZING <3
> 
> at1stsoo
> 
> [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/at1stsoo) | [Tumblr](http://at1stsoo.tumblr.com) | [CuriousCat](http://curiouscat.me/At1stsight)


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